Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern SpiritualismPutnam, Allen
Religion
Witchcraft of New England Explained by Modern Spiritualism
Putnam, Allen
Spiritualism; Witchcraft -- New England
REBECCA NURSE, venerable matron, daughter of a mother who had been called
a witch, and conscious of personal liability to then prevalent fits, was
seen by, and accused of hurting, members of The Circle. Therefore she must
be hanged--though jury first acquitted, and then, under rebuke, called her
guilty; and though governor pardoned, and then revoked his clement act.
Fealty to witchcraft creed in that case triumphed, though nearly defeated
twice.
MARY EASTY, noble woman, sister of the above, and daughter of the same
witch-blooded mother, once arrested and discharged, and then re-arrested,
because seen by inner eyes and accused of bewitching, rose sublimely above
thoughts of self and dread of death, and appealed to the magistrates, in
clear, strong, and forceful language, to change their course of
procedure, to spare the innocent, and become wisely humane.
SUSANNA MARTIN, spectrally seen, and a reputed witch during more than a
score of years, bravely faced the dangers besetting an accused one, was
self-possessed before the magistrates, was spicy, shrewd, and keen in her
answers to their questions, but failed to descend to confession, and died
on Gallows Hill.
MARTHA CARRIER, having been a clear seer for forty years, and long visible
by others similarly unfolded, was brave, self-possessed, and ready with
pointed retort. Because hard to subdue, accusations came thick and heavy
upon her from "The Circle" almost _en masse_, and she too was doomed to
mount the ladder.
SARAH CARRIER, daughter of the above, eight years old, stated instructive
facts in her experience as a clairvoyant, and notably said that her own
_spirit_ could go forth to others and hurt them; also that her mother's
was the only spirit with which she entered into the compact that made her
a witch.
REV. GEORGE BURROUGHS, sometimes supernally strong physically, because, as
himself asserted, an Indian, invisible by others, helped him; able, by
God's help as he claimed, to read his brother's thoughts; A freer and less
formal religionist than most clergymen of his day, because of his high
spiritual illumination; a humble but beneficent Christian--was, like his
exemplar, made to yield up life at the call of such as cried, "Crucify
him! crucify him!" If he was luminous, and spoke like an angel of light in
the hour of his departure, he was not Satan transformed, but George
Burroughs unvailing his genuine self.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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